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Goblins
The Goblin Nation is a loose tribal confederation of the goblinoid species - the goblins themselves, their hobgoblin cousins, and their bugbear allies/servants. While physically distinct, all goblinoids can be considered part of the same cultural tradition. History No reliable records predating the Dawn War make mention of goblinoids specifically, although historians have pointed to some ancient legends which refer to small, vicious creatures of the mountains. Whether these refer to goblins or kobolds, however, is debated fiercely. In the post-Dawn War era, however, goblinoids became a growing civilization in the marches north of the Guardian Mountains. Lead by their hobgoblin kings, the Goblin Nation built several large cities along the rivers and wetlands of the western foothills. However, like many races, the Harrowing devastated the Goblin Nation. Their capital city, the name of which has been lost to history, was obliterated, taking with it the majority of the Goblin Nation's government and leadership class. The line of the hobgoblin kings was completely destroyed, and in the following period the goblins superceded their larger, more militaristic brethren, supported by their bugbear allies. In response to the destruction of their cities and the increasing desertification of their lands, the goblinoids retreated southwards into the Guardians, seeking out sheltered valleys where they could rebuild. However, the loss of status suffered by the hobgoblin section of the Goblin Nation meant that the drive for civilizing in that sense was badly restricted, and few efforts have been made to return to the glories of centuries past. Language All three goblin subspecies share a common language, Goblin. While there are dialectal differences, especially around specialised areas such as warfare or architecture, these dialects sufficiently intelligible to be considered a single tongue. The language spoken by most adventurers is the bugbear dialect, as these are the goblinoids most often encountered outside of the Guardians. Government The goblinoid peoples don't have a structured government as the rest of the world would appreciate the term, since the obliteration of the hobgoblin kings and their lines during the Harrowing. The successes of the goblin leadership following the Harrowing has enabled them to take control of the day-to-day management of the Nation, although in many ways it feels like the entire species have just been marking time for the last thousand years, waiting for their glory days to return. In practical terms, the clerics of Maglubiyet are the most powerful figures in the Nation, and almost all clerics of Maglubiyet are goblins. Military Of the goblin races, only hobgoblins are naturally disciplined enough for the soldier's life, but they are exceptionally good at it. As the "city-building" goblinoid, the hobgoblins were disporportionately affected by the Harrowing, and they remain the minority of the three groups. Ambitious hobgoblins who lack the skill or propensity for the church instead seek out the military, where they can achieve a great deal of independence from the goblin-dominated religious leadership. Expansion Officially, the Goblin Nation claims ownership and authority over huge tracts of the Merrovian deserts, a claim which the Merrovian government officially disputes but practically ignores. Hobgoblin military bands occasionally set up outposts in the southern desert, and have been known to establish "toll gates" on the caravan routes, but these outposts are never well-supported and eventually are abandoned. Major cities Only one Goblin Nation city remains in the world, greatly expanded from its pre-Harrowing state but still only a pale shadow of the cities that existed in those former days. The fortress-temple Gorod (from the goblin, meaning literally "city") was once a spiritual retreat in the mountains, but is now the centre of the Goblin Nation. Well over twenty thousand goblinoids inhabit the city and its environs, making it one of the larger settlements in the region. Relations with other races Generally unfriendly, since the goblin clerics preach that all other races will be ground beneath the booted heel of Maglubiyet as soon as his inevitable victory be proclaimed. Tentative truces exist between the Goblin Nation and the Guardian orc tribes, but these agreements don't stop the regular bloodletting between hunting parties on the borderlands. The Goblin Nation also lies close to the gnome stronghold of Hardluck, and this relationship is considerably more belligerent. Extensive earthworks and defensive preparations have dissuaded the goblins from pressing any offensive, and the gnomes have no interest in the goblin lands. The underground-dwelling drow have a particularly complex relationship with the Goblin Nation, which swings wildly between alliance and open warfare. The nature and belligerence of the senior goblin clerics is the primary factor which determines the current nature of the relationship. Culture While most other races would reject the concept of goblin culture, this would be a terrible oversight. While bugbears have very little in the way of creative urges, goblins and hobgoblins both have a deep and complex cultural history. Hobgoblins especially enjoy a form of theatre wherein simple moral lessons are enforced by terrible consequences for miscreants, while goblins can be gifted painters and sculptors. Religion The goblin god Maglubiyet is supreme in goblinoid religion. The hobgoblin war deities have been anathematised by the clergy of Maglubiyet, and the bugbear's ancestor-worship was easily diverted into orthodoxy. Heresy and blasphemy is sternly punished, and regular attendence at worship services is vital for political or military advancement. Infrastructure The idea of goblin infrastructure is a little laughable, but the hobgoblins like things in order, and they have been known to construct rudimentary roads connecting settlements and, particularly, military outposts. Category:Races